Spring-power engine-starter.



0. E. WADEWITZ SPRING POWER ENGINE STARTER, APPLIOATION FILED MAY 20, 1012 1,066,868. Paten ed July 8,1191%;

ESEHETBf-SHEETI.

0. E. WADEWITZ.

SPRING POWER ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MA! 28, 1912.

Patented July 8, 19 13.

SHEBTS-BHEBT B.

' gst-arteneiiihodying-the teatur' {UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE OTTO E. WADE-WITZ, OF RACiN'E, WISCONSIN.

SPRING-POWER ENGINE-STARTER.-

Specification of 3 ellrwhomil may concern Beit knoWnt-hajt I; Om E.'-TADE\\-'ITZ, tizen of the United States, and resident 4 seine: 'in the county" of Racine and fStLatie; ofQWiscons'in, have invented certain :j-ne jandusefiil lmprovements in SpringfPdri erEngine-Starters; and I do'herehy "re that thefollowing is a full; clear, Iii-11d '(aCbdBStiIlPtlOn thereof.

a j'Myinv'ention' refersjto internal eoi'nlnist-io'n enginesta-rtersof the spring motor type,thetebject. being to; provide. a simple, economical and effective means for loading or "'li'ng the 'rnotor spring toa predejte' nined'tension; 'the same being etteqtedr tl r(iligti fa back-gear connection to an interniitteiit iidriven shaft, ,-The construeti on and I ii-rrirngeinentflofthemeehanism issueh that.

the desired tension of said motoriis;obtiined through a predetermined ot revelutions of a winding mechaid winding-mechanism is uncoupled e. drive-n fsha ft- I worm-actuated heel j tha t is geared-{tosaid irinding m Thefstored-ipower of the spring e'ked byflazpa wland ratcheteleie winding I 16Phan-ism,'said power iial lyfreleased mid t-ransniitted to It :s ht' ft by a suitable eluteh coniar 1 eenneeti-orr therewith whereby 1-1;sha1 ftlis;give a portion of a turn 'ti n oi ecomplete turns toetfect a. ,eperaiti-onf-of the engine, it. being. tood thz tiwh'en the shaft is thereafter "the fioiver that it ill reiIOIf. fLLl'1lIe USG and after 'g. the inding meehanism is v utorn .t frytll;\' 'i'e'leased 'asstated. v

ifflvitilythe n in'o object's in .iri(r\\ the in- .-\'i ;n't;ic ni (ionsists in certain peeuliz'irities of v t-o istlr ietioh and. con'ibirmtiori of parts :is .heremaftjer set to' i'th with reference to the (;'(-hnipau ti ng1drnwihiqs and. subsequently lclniinedif" FInfthf drawings Fig'uzrn' l represents a longitudinal .seetional view;-ofan engine I V of my inven- -tionlwith 'pa'nts broken sit-is)"; other parts in full 1'10 more clearly illustrate certain 50 structural teaturesfthe section being indi- -calfed hy linell-l of Fig.3; Eig. 2 a serti'o n':i' l" f:i e View of. the sa nieQthe section being i ndieated l)y line-2 26f 1; Fig.3. 'a setiensL fjtceview oftli'e starter mechanism;

then-section being-indieat-edjby line's-4, of

Letters Yaten t.

tionul tnee' vieu' otihe sirter. "the sertion shells 4;. 4. which shells in eonj-unotion with the heads 2. 2, andeylinder'l' constitute a casing for the. starter lneehanisin, 't-h'eshells being provided with projecting. feet 5 Pat (:nted J uly h,- 1 Si 35,] Application filed May 28, 1912 sari-aim. 700,257.

whereby the said easing is seeuredtothe frame otan automobile or other device to.

which the starter applied. The casing members constituting the heads 2-.- and shells 4. are clamped together by longitudina'lly disposed bolts 5 whielrpass through said casing as best'shown in -Fig. 1. The

casing heads 2 are each proi'ided-ii itlr arentrally disposed circular a p'erture, into which is jeurnaled the ends of a tubularhubnienn be! 6-, the said-hub member being-fitted to a sleeve 7 that is in spline eonneetio'n Iivith .the'huh member, wherehy'it isfea'pable of rotation therewith hilt, free'fto freiciprocate therein. The "innercoil,oflthe spring' 3 secured to the: hub imem'berfi and its outer coil is rigidly secured to thefeasi'ngfhy means of a stud 3. about which stud: the aforesaid spring end is looped. An intermittently driven-engine shaft, 8 extends-through end apertures 9,9 of the shells andt hi oug h the bore of thesleeve 7. whiehbbreisbt greater .diameter than said shaft-.- :Theshiittis jourualed in the end aperture-Q of ltliiefsliell 4 throiu h loose engagementfifi th the huh 1O 3 through the shell end-fi sprovided-with a] shell. The opposite 0ndiQftlitftHgillt shn 1"!" 11'. the: huh heing' ihte'rposed -l ii\ et i"i Mid shaft and aperture 9 of the shell memher 4.

rortion hr a shoulder lhzitj isf'torn ed :ilrin't.

the shaft while end-.playin the Qimosite ll-,-

ieirtinn of said huh. is l-iii ited through shut:-

l figainsi. i ia iii mudiio s ling errj a gzen 'eut of thejriitchet Wheel Web ritli jhenring sleeve for said. huh limit is formed about the aperture grjof the Shelli.

Thatend of the sleeif Tuhichis adia'cent" to the clutchface llf of the ratchet-wheel hub is provided lwith a corresponding ratchet-face 12 which is adapted to engage said hdbi ratchet-face, whereby a coupling connection between the ratchet-wheel and hub is effected. The sleeve at this end is also provided with an annular recess 12 into which is fitted the spanner end of a controlling lever 13, the lever being fulcrumed between ears that project from the head 2.

This controlling lever is provided for the purpose of manually shifting the sleeve,-

- engagement. The gear-wheel 14 and its integral pinion 16, as shown in Fig. 1, are loosely mounted upon a stud 15, which stud is fitted within suitable apertures formed in the adjacent head 2 and wall of the shell 4'.

-Hence it is apparent that when-motion is imparted to the sleeve 7, the back-gear con- .nection to the gear-wheel 10' will cause the latter to rotate at a speed approximately one-fourth of that imparted to the sleeve pinion 14. I

- The end of the sleeve, as shown in Fig. 1, is adapted to have abutting engagement with the hub 10 of the gear-wheel'10 and hence when a shift movement is imparted to the sleeve for effecting disconnection between the latter and the ratchet wheel 11,

movement of said sleeve will cause the gearwheel to slide outwardly upon shaft 8 and effect clutching engagement between the clutch-face 10 of its hub anda clutch member 17' that is secured to said shaft.

Loosely mounted upon the engine shaft 8, adjacent to the outer face of the shell 4 is a pinion 18, which pinion is held against lateral. play between the collar'18'" that is carried by the shaft and the adjacent face of the shell about its aperture 9'. The outer hub end of the pinion 18 is provided with a clutch-face 19 which face is adapted to en gage a corresponding face of a clutch mem- .ber 20 that is in spline connection with the engine shaft, the said clutch member being held inclutched engagement with the pinion by a coiled spring 20' which surrounds the shaft and is interposed between the clutch member 20 and a collar 21 that is carried by said shaft, the outer end of the aforesaid shaft as shown terminating with a squared head for the reception of a handcrank not shown whereby the engine shaft may be rotated in the usual manner in an I emergency, it being understood that the inner end of the shaft which projects through the casing carries the usual engine cranks and fly-wheel not shown.

' The counter-shaft is journaled in apertures formed in the heads 2, 2, and shell 4, the end of said shaft being extended beyond the shell head 2 for the reception of a sleeve pinion 22. The sleeve pinion 22 is meshed with a toothed tappet wheel 28 which tappet-wheel is provided with a bored hub that is internally threaded for engagement with a threaded stud23 that isrigidly secured to the shell 4. The tappet-wheel also carries a tappet lug 23" which is arranged to actuate a clutch lever'24 when said wheel has been run out upon the threaded stud due to drive imparted thereto from the sleeve pinion. 22. The countenshaft 22 is driven through the pinion 14: from gearwheel 14. The lever 24 is fulcrumed'upon the outer end of the shaft between the hub of the sleeve pinion and a collar carriedby said shaft, the opposite end of the clutch lever being provided with a spanner that-is adapted to engage an annular groove 20" that is formed in the spring-controlled clutch member 20, this cqnstruction being. best shown in Figs. 1 and 4' of'the drawings. Thus it will be seen that the sleeve-gear 22 operates a tappet-wheel which in conjunction with the stud constitutes a worm or cam-driven member that is adapted to rotate and travel longitudinally whereby the path of travel of its ta'ppet is brought into alinement with a shoe 24 upon the clutch lever to shift the position of said lever Orsaid w\'orm-actuated tappet-wheel will: recede upon a reversing action of the ceiunter-shaft to free the tappet and shoe engagement, this opteration being more fully described hereina er. r i.

J ournaled in a suitable bearing provided in the face of the shell member '4 is a stud 25, which stud carries a gear-wheel 26 that meshes with the pinion l8. that is loosely mounted upon the engine shaft, the said gear-Wheel being approximately twice the size thereof. The stud projects into the shell 4 and its inner end carries an eccentric 27, upon which eccentric is mounted a strapped end 28 of a link 28, the link being connected to one arm 29 of an oscillatory hell-crank lever. The other arm 29 of tho hell-crank lever carries a spring-controlled pull-pawl 30 which is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 11. The oscillatory bell-crank as shown is journaled upon a, sleeve extension that is formed about the tperture 9 of the shell i, said bell-crank be ing interposed between the inner face of the shell and ratchet-wheel as best shown in Fig. 1. A takeup spring-controlled ratrhetpawl 31 is also provided for engagement 4O "the latter from the clutch-faced hub of the with the ratchet-wheel 11, the said pawl being fulciiimed upon a stud that is carried by the shell a as best shown in Fig. 3.

\Vhen the parts of the spring motor assume positions, as shown in the drawings, the spring is being wound, due to the clutched engagement between the hub member and pinion 18, which causes rotation of the stud through its gear connection with said pinion, the 'engineashaft being driven in the direction as indicated by the arrow.

. revolution with each rotation of the engine the ratchet shaft due to the back-gear connection and H in the rotationof said eccentric, its strap connection with the bell-crank will cause earwheel to feed forward one tooth. The ub 11 of the ratchet gear-wheel and sleeve '7 being in clutch connection will consequently cause said sleeve and hub inembor. to rotate 'in the opposite direction, as

- indicatedby the arrow, from that in which draw upon the innercoil thereof.

the engine shaft is. rotated. Consequently the spring'will be gradually wound up by This winding is effected by aj; predetermined number of revolutions of the sleeve-and ins cidental to said winding the counter-shaft- 22 makes a predetermined number of revolutions, due to its constant gear connection with said sleeve. Thus the tappet-carrying 'gear-wheel 23 is rotated and caused to travel outwardly upon its threaded stud 23 and incidental to completion of the spring-wind ing movement the tappet 23" of said wheel will move into an engaging position relative to the clutch lever shoe 24 whereby said lever is positively forced outward in opposition to the spring 20 that controls move ment; of clutch member 20 to thus disengage pinion 18. Hence said clutch member beingdi.'-'engaged' from the clutch'faced hub of the pi ii-ion 18 ,the winding mechanism is thrown out of action. The engine shaft 8 will thereafter revolve freely. It is' apparent that when the engine shaft is rotated free the teeth of the clutch member 17 will, by their cam ,action automatically thrust the hub clutch tceth lO inwardly and thus free the geanwheel 10 from its rotative engagement with the shaft and-at the same time this end thrust will cause the sleeve 7 to automatically effect coupling engagement with the wheel 11 through engagement of its end clutch teeth with the clutch teeth.

To start the engine after'a stop, the leverl3 is manually operated, whereby it is shifted to effect disengagementbetween the ratchet-wheel hub and sleeve 7 and incidental to the shift, the opposite end of said sleeve that carries the pinion 14 will engage the huh o'f gear-wheel 10, causing the same to slide upon the shaft, whereby clutching engagement with the clutch member 17 and The eccentric "27 will make one said gear-wheel is effected. Thus it is apparent that as soon as the sleeve 7 is freed from its locked or clutched engagement, with the hub 11 of the ratchet-wheel 11. that the stored power of the spring v3 will be instantly exerted to cause rotation of said sleeve in the same direction as the engine shaft. Thus the spring power is transmitted through the train of starting gears-directly -to the engine shaft, in the same direction as the latter would ordinarily travel, whereby one or more complete turns is imparted to said engine shaft to effect a starting operation, the stored power of-the spring being imparted at a ratio of lto 1 to obtain efficiency in the expenditure ofsaid stored power for the purpose stated.

As the spring 3 unwinds its power is' applied to the engine shaft for starting the same in its runnin osition and in the meantime the countershaft 22 will be rotated in a reversedirection from. that taken in a spring winding operation, causing the tappet-carr'ying gear-wheel 23 to move in wardly upon its threaded stud, covering the same distance as it previously traversedoutwardly until checked by engagement of its hub with the face of the shell 4, whichcheck consequently locks the counter-shaft and further expansion of the coils of the spring is thereby prevented, the check or look serving to maintain a predetermined minimum stored spring power.

I claim:

1. An engine starter comprising fa fixed casing, an intermittently driven shaft extending therethrough, a I shiftable rotatory sleeve mounted about the shaft, a manually controlled means for'coupling the sleeve to said shaft when said sleeve is moved in one direction, means for automatically releasing the sleeve and shaft after a manual coupling operation, a coiled spring disposed about the aforesaid sleeve having its inner end in connection therewith, means for securing the outer end coil of the spring to the casing, a spring winding gear-wheel train loosely mounted about the driven shaft, means for locking the same against rotation in one direction, means for coupling the spring winding gear-wheel to the sleeve whenthe latter is manually moved longitudinally to effect its disconnection with the shaft,

. tend-i-i'lgf clutching. a nt between the sleeve shaft and spring winding, mechanism, and

tal to effecting a coupling'connection beto the casing-a .spri-ng'ywinding mechanism having clutching; ngeans engageable .with

connection with the sleeve-for releasing the;

g gh"; glongitudinally shiftablesleeve'niolintedabout the shaft, a coiled-J i'nghainner end in rotativeconnedtion" the sleeve, means for securingtheouter coiled end of the spring the shaft and sleeve, means for effecting and shaft, means for locking the winding mechanism against rotation in one direction, a worm'c ontrolled releasing means for efiecting' disconnection between. the drive a manually controlled coupling -rnean's in same fromthe winding mechanism incidentween the aforesaid shaft and sleeve.

3. An engine starter comprising a casing, an engine shaft extending ,therethrough, a reciprocativesleeve encirclingv the shaft,- manually' controlled -meansfor actuating the sleeve ino'ne'direction, a hub in vspline engagement with S id: sleeve, a coiled spring surrounding thehubl havin'gfits inner. end secured. thereto, a ratchet-wheel, means for efiecting -.clutching..engagement bet-vi'zeen the 6- rat chetZ-wheeland-f; sleeve, a pinion lbosely,

mounteduponone end-ofjthe engine shaft,"

for actuating ihe ratchet-wheel, a clutch member in spline engagement with the engine shaft adapted to lock the pinion to said shaft, a gear-wheel loosely mounted upon the other end of the engine shaft having a clutch member, a back gear train connect inggthe' last named gear-wheel with the aforesaid sleeve, a clutch member secured to the-engine shaft for engagement withthe' gear-wheel clutch member, a counter-shaft in gear connection with theback-gear train, a fixed threaded stud, a tappet-carryin g wheel in threaded union therewith, the tappet-carrying wheel being in gear connection .with the countershaft, an oscillatory lever engageable with that clutch member which 'controlsthe shaft driving pinion of the tappet-carrying gear-wheel when the latter ratchet-wheel adaptedto be engaged by the" is moved in one direction upon its threaded stud, and'means for limiting travel of the means inf gear. c'onnection-withsaid pinion 7 Copies .5: 'thi spa tenfniay be obtained for five 'cen ts Washingt A. H. 'WADEWITZZ tappet'carrying gear-wheel upon its thread each by addressing the Commissioner otl 'atents', i

Em, D. c." 

